Pakistan, over many years, was attempting to use cross-border terrorism to bring India to the desk and used it as its “core policy”, which was made “irrelevant” by the Narendra Modi authorities, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has stated. He emphasised that India wouldn’t take care of Pakistan on their phrases wherein “practice of terrorism is deemed as legitimate”, and indicated that the neighbouring nation has to create a conducive atmosphere freed from terror.
“What Pakistan was trying to do, not now but over multiple decades, was really to use cross-border terrorism to bring India to the table. That, in essence, was its core policy. We have made that irrelevant by not playing that game now. It’s not a case that we won’t deal with a neighbour. After all, at the end of the day, a neighbour is a neighbour, but it is that we will not deal on the basis of terms that they set where the practice of terrorism is deemed as legitimate and effective in order to bring you to the table,” Jaishankar stated in an interview with ANI, whereas answering a question in relation to his new guide ‘Why Bharat Matters’.
What Jaishankar had stated earlier on Pakistan?
India had in August final yr stated that an atmosphere freed from terror and hostilities was crucial for regular ties with Pakistan.
Answering questions after the then Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif had expressed his willingness to speak to India, the Ministry of External Affairs had stated that India desires regular ties with all its neighbours, together with Pakistan.
“We desire normal neighbourly relations with all our neighbours, including Pakistan. For this an environment free of terror and hostility is imperative,” a MEA spokesperson had stated.
Earlier, Jaishankar had stated that Pakistan’s future will largely be decided by its personal actions and decisions.
“I think Pakistan’s future is largely determined by Pakistan’s actions and by Pakistan’s choices. Nobody reaches a difficult situation suddenly and without cause. It is for them to find a way out. Our relationship today is not one where we can be relevant directly to that process,” Jaishankar had stated.
(With ANI inputs)
